"My guess is that the second Iran/Iraq War would have been kicking-off any month now."

Assuming your guess is right, what does that say about the number of lives that have been lost since the U.S. invaded Iraq? What does that say about the loss of infrastructure in Iraq? If the U.S. went home tomorrow, would Iraq be in a better or worse position than if the U.S. had never invaded?

Now, of course, Iraq is in such tatters that they can't defend themselves from anyone without the help of the U.S.